California considers scrapping revamped bar exam after botched test rollout
In a 65-page petition, opens new tab filed on Tuesday to the high court, the State Bar of California introduced the potential return of the Multistate Bar Exam, which is the multiple-choice component of the national bar exam produced by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. The petition also asked the court to approve several scoring adjustments meant to address the various technical issues February bar examinees faced.
The state bar administered a new bar exam in February that was given both remotely and in-person and did not use any components of the national bar exam. That change was expected to save as much as $3.8 million annually by eliminating the need to rent out large event spaces, but the exam was marred by various technical and logistical problems.
The state bar now projects that addressing those problems in July will cost at least $2.3 million more than anticipated. Test takers and legal academics have also questioned the development and quality of the 200 multiple questions that appeared on the exam.
Katie Moran, co-director of the academic and bar exam success program at the University of San Francisco School of Law and a vocal critic of the February test, said on Wednesday that the court should restore the MBE.
'After reading their petition, it is the most prudent thing to do given the number of issues with questions on the exam,' Moran said.
The State Bar acknowledged that the California Supreme Court may opt to revert to the MBE 'so that there is not a risk that the process improvements are not effectively implemented before the next administration of bar examination," while also laying out its plans to improve the vetting and oversight of its multiple-choice questions for the upcoming July exam.
The California Supreme Court has already ordered the July bar exam to be administered in person at testing centers.
A spokesperson for the national conference said it would need a decision by June 10 to make the MBE available to California for the July exam. California produces its own bar exam essay and performance tests, but until February had used the MBE for the multiple-choice section.
A California Supreme Court spokesperson said on Wednesday that the court had just received the petition and did not yet have any comment on it. A state bar spokesperson did not immediately provide comment Wednesday on the petition or the potential restoration of the MBE.
Legal academics in California have pushed for the return of the MBE. Deans of 14 of California's 17 American Bar Association-accredited law schools requested that the MBE be used in July and that all of February's multiple-choice questions be released to the public for review, in an April 25 letter to California Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero.
After California bar exam chaos, state poised to nix remote testing
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Kallas says EU will work on 19th Russia sanctions package
BRUSSELS, Aug 11 (Reuters) - European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday that the EU will work on a 19th package of sanctions against Russia and warned against concessions to Moscow. "As far as Russia has not agreed to full and unconditional ceasefire, we should not even discuss any concessions," Kallas said in a statement. "The sequencing of the steps is important. First an unconditional ceasefire with a strong monitoring system and ironclad security guarantees," she said, adding that "we will work on a 19th package of sanctions".
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
‘I will tell Putin to end this war': Trump reveals first details of showdown Putin talks & hints Zelensky could still go
It comes as a top Putin ally urged the tyrant to end the war TIME FOR PEACE 'I will tell Putin to end this war': Trump reveals first details of showdown Putin talks & hints Zelensky could still go Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DONALD Trump has revealed details for the highly-anticipated crunch talks with Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. The US President described the upcoming talks as a "feel-out meeting" - and said that his Russian counterpart wants to get the war "over with". Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Trump has revealed details for his meeting with Putin on Friday Credit: Reuters 7 Trump and Putin are set to meet on US soil on Friday to discuss the end of the Ukraine war 7 Locals witness the devastation of residential buildings bombed by Russian forces in Ukraine on August 10 Credit: Getty 7 He also told reporters that he would tell Putin: "You've got to end this war, you've got to end it." The historic showdown scheduled for August 15 will mark the first time the pair have met since June 2019, with the White House still weighing up whether or not to invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump is also set to dial in with European leaders including Zelensky on Wednesday for an emergency summit in preparation for the Putin meeting. He said he would call European leaders "who I get along with very well" after leaving the talks. Trump said on Monday: "I've said that a few times and I've been disappointed because I'd have a great call with him [Putin] and then missiles would be lobbed into Kyiv or some other place." He added: "I'd like to see a ceasefire, I'd like to see the best deal that could be made for both parties, it takes two to tango." It comes as a top Vladimir Putin crony urged the tyrant to end his war in Ukraine - just days before crunch talks with Donald Trump, reports say. The Deputy Head of Putin's administration, Dmitry Kozak, has reportedly encouraged the Russian leader to halt the invasion and begin peace talks. It comes after sources close to the US President said that they were "very hopeful" Ukraine's leader would be invited to the highly-anticipated talks. One senior administration official told NBC News that a trilateral meeting remains "absolutely" possible. Could wanted war criminal Putin be ARRESTED when he meets Trump? How Vlad will use loophole to escape cuffs in Alaska Another official briefed on White House conversations said: "It's being discussed." It is believed that no official invite has been talked about with Kyiv as of yet. A senior White House official explained: "Right now, the White House is focusing on planning the bilateral meeting requested by President Putin." Zelensky has already been adamant that he must be involved in any peace talks as they directly impact on the future of his country. Speaking last week, the brave leader said any pact struck without Kyiv's involvement would be "stillborn decisions against peace" and would fail before they even began. "Any decisions that are against us, any decisions that are without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace," he said. "They will not achieve anything." His powerful stance has now been echoed by European leaders. Sir Keir Starmer and the leaders of France, Italy, Poland, Finland and the EU all issued a stark warning saying there can be no peace without Ukraine. 7 Top Putin aide Dmitry Kozak (L), has reportedly urged Putin to end the war Credit: Getty 7 Ukrainian anti-drone units down a Russian UAV in Donetsk, Ukraine Credit: Getty Longtime Putin ally Kozak, 66, is said to have stepped out of line after years of being secretly opposed to the war, the New York Times reported. He is believed to have presented a plan to end the fighting, which even included proposals for internal reforms. Before the full-scale invasion in 2022, Kozak warned the Russian president about the risks of fierce Ukrainian resistance. He also tried but failed to negotiate a working truce after the war started. Western officials claimed that Kozak continued to contact them over the last few years, seeking arguments that might sway Putin. The top Russian aide managed the integration of Crimea into Russia after it was annexed in 2014. Who is Dmitry Kozak? by Harvey Geh LONGTIME Putin ally Dmitry Kozak rose from a St. Petersburg prosecutor to deputy head of Putin's administration through close ties with the Russian President. Born in what was Soviet Ukraine, he served in GRU special forces before training as a lawyer. He has managed crucial projects like the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the integration of Crimea after it was annexed. In 2020 he became Russia's lead envoy to Kyiv, negotiating over Donbas and Transnistria. Kozak privately warned Putin that invading Ukraine was a mistake, and after proposing a peace deal. He has been sidelined since his secret opposition to the war. Many of his duties have been slowly handed off to his de-facto replacement Sergei Kiriyenko. Because of his central role in Crimea's annexation and Ukraine destabilisation, Kozak faces sanctions from the UK, EU and US. He also managed preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. But the top official has lost much of his political influence since Putin's bloody invasion. The call with European leaders on Wednesday has been organised by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz as European leaders desperately scramble to get their message across to Trump. The online summit will reportedly focus on how to put pressure on Russia, how to deal with Ukrainian territories seized by Russia, security guarantees for Kyiv and the prospect of potential peace talks. European leaders have made it clear that Putin must first agree to a ceasefire before any peace talks can take place.
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
India pushes ahead with US trade talks despite tariff hike to 50%
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI, Aug 11 (Reuters) - India hopes trade talks with the U.S. will continue even as the U.S. hiked tariffs on its exports to 50% due to New Delhi's purchase of sanctioned Russian oil, two lawmakers said on Monday, citing a briefing to a parliamentary panel on foreign affairs. Last week, President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods due to Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil, bringing the total duty on Indian exports to the U.S. to 50% - among the highest of any American trading partner. "Our relations with the U.S. are multi-dimensional, and should not be seen only through the prism of trade," one of the lawmakers said, citing the foreign secretary's briefing to the panel. Shashi Tharoor, an opposition Congress party leader, who heads the panel, said trade talks would continue. "As of now, there is no change in the existing plans for the sixth round," he said, referring to a scheduled visit of a U.S. trade delegation to New Delhi from August 25. Earlier, junior finance minister, Pankaj Chaudhary told lawmakers that about 55% of India's merchandise exports to the United States would covered by the new tariff. His estimate factored in the initial 25% levy, he said in a written response to a lawmaker's query. "The Department of Commerce is engaged with all stakeholders" for their assessment of the situation, Chaudhary added. Goods trade between the United States and India - the world's biggest and fifth-largest economies, respectively - was worth about $87 billion in the last fiscal year, according to Indian government estimates. The panel separately voiced concerns over Pakistani army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir's reported remarks on nuclear threats in South Asia during a visit to the U.S. "Nuclear blackmail will not work with India, and no party, or representative disagrees with this view," Tharoor said, adding the external affairs ministry had condemned the comments.
